BBQ Chicken Orzo Salad

BBQ Chicken Orzo Salad gives a whole new meaning to “fast” food. If you’ve missed 3 barbecues or more this summer due to work, kids, school, or life in general, this salad will remind you of what you’re missing! Not only is it a healthy lunch to pack, but it’s so easy to make!

I’ll be honest, salads were never my favorite meal, but they grew on me as a healthy way to eat my greens (yuck!!), and get a healthy dose of protein. This salad is absolutely a well balanced, filling lunch. It even makes spinach taste great!

Oh, guess what, it’s also gluten free! Chickpeas are a great substitute for my vegan friends, but more on that, later!

To make this recipe vegan: Roast your chickpeas in the oven slathered with a tablespoon of barbecue sauce – here’s a little more information on roasting chickpeas.

This salad is a perfect lunch to store in freezer friendly containers, but they’ll also stay fresh in the fridge (in an air tight container) for up to 1 week!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the chicken strips with barbecue sauce and pepper. Place each uncooked marinated piece of chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken breast.

Remove the chicken from the oven and slice with a sharp knife into thin strips.